South Carolina senior on postseason future: 'Let's win the rest of these games'

Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football team is 4-3, and the team has plenty of goals still in front of them. The Gamecocks are two wins away from bowl eligibility, but if USC finishes the year strong, the 2024 season could be a special one. Carolina has won at least 8 games just 15 times, and a prominent bowl game—or, perhaps, even a College Football Playoff berth?—could be possible if the Gamecocks keep winning.

On Tuesday, several South Carolina players spoke to the media. According to senior defensive tackle Boogie Huntley, the Gamecocks have bigger goals than just making a bowl game.

When asked about the team’s thoughts on potential postseason play and bowl season, Huntley didn’t mince words. The redshirt season said, “We have every plan to win out…We’re not really thinking about bowl games. We’re just thinking about, specifically, A&M. But if there is ever any chatter, it’s winning out. It’s not ‘get to a bowl game.’ It’s ‘let’s win the rest of these games.’ Most importantly, though, we’re just focused on going 1-0 this week. We will worry about next week, next week.”

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South Carolina has a wide range of outcomes possible for the 2024 season.

Though unlikely, there is a path toward missing a bowl game again, something that would be a grave disappointment given the team’s talent, especially on defense.

Carolina beating Wofford (a near-certainty) and then splitting some of their remaining games puts the Gamecocks in a bowl game. That bowl’s prestige depends upon the team’s win-loss record over the final month of the season. For now, most outlets project Shane Beamer’s team to a lower-level SEC-affiliated game like the Birmingham Bowl or Texas Bowl.

An undefeated finish, though, would put South Carolina football firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation. As the only three-loss, non-conference champion with a worthy resume, USC would give the selection committee plenty to consider.

Huntley and the Gamecocks seem to have the right focus as they move forward. As the senior captain said, “Let’s win the rest of these games” is the only mindset that can get the Gamecocks where they want to go.

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Huntley’s words echo similar sentiments that have been expressed by his head coach. Shane Beamer repeatedly has said that bowl eligibility is a “minimum requirement” in Columbia. The fourth-year headman believes the Gamecock standard is higher. Huntley clearly agrees.

The former Hammond School standout also knows he doesn’t have much time left in garnet and black. When asked about being an older player, Huntley reflected on his time as a Gamecock coming to an end. “I actually just started thinking about that a little bit. My time here is wrapping up. So, there’s a lot of great memories I’ve had…whether it’s just the guys running out, Sandstorm, little things like that. I just have to cherish every moment I have and work hard because of all these great moments.”

No. 95 has been part of a lot of great moments with the Gamecocks. South Carolina picked up big wins over top-10 Tennessee and Clemson in 2022, smacked the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl, and had memorable victories over SEC rivals like Florida, Auburn, Kentucky, and Texas A&M during his time with the program. Huntley also won an SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honor in the 2023 win over Mississippi State. In that game, he logged two sacks and two passes defended as he caused problems for the Bulldogs all night.

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This Saturday will represent Huntley’s final Homecoming game with the University of South Carolina. His Gamecocks came out on top for Homecoming in 2020 (Auburn) and 2021 (Vanderbilt). However, 2022 (Missouri) and 2023 (Florida) didn’t go quite as well as hoped. This Saturday, Huntley and the other fifth-year Gamecocks (athlete Luke Doty, cornerback O’Donnell Fortune, defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway, linebacker Mo Kaba, offensive lineman Vershon Lee, punter Kai Kroeger, and long snapper Hunter Rogers) will have a chance to break their tie between Homecoming wins and losses.

The 10th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies will face their toughest road contest to date this weekend. A sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium will be full of rowdy Gamecocks. ABC, ESPN+, and the ESPN app will air the game. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

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